Music has long played a vital role in human culture. As a result, music has always had a close relationship with the development of new technological advances, whether as the driver or as an early exploiter. From the recording of music on wax phonograph cylinders by Edison, to the radio broadcasts of Marconi, to the development of vinyl records, digital audio and Compact Discs, the distribution of music from musician to listener has historically been controlled by a relative few. Music producers, record labels and radio syndicates have worked to establish themselves as the gatekeepers of the music industry, controlling who hears what and controlling where and how they hear it.
However, since the advent of the internet, the distribution and consumption of music has quickly evolved. The music listener has begun to gain control of the listening experience. Early illicit music sharing networks led the way to free internet radio and websites selling music song by song instead of album by album. Listeners and musicians now have more ways available than ever before to access and distribute music. However, with all of the great benefits the internet has brought to music, there remains a desire among listeners and musicians to connect with each other through music in more personal ways, both localized and global.